Mast and keel movement for sailing vessels

Abstract

A sailing vessel having a mast upstanding from the hull and connected to be free to tilt on the hull about a longitudinal axis, and a keel depending from the hull and also connected to be free to tilt on the hull about a longitudinal axis, the mast and keel being interconnected to cause rotation about the axes in the same sense, the keel having sufficient weight to hold the mast upright but allowing it to deflect leeward about the hull under wind pressure, the keel balancing the leeward deflection by tilt to windward without necessarily deflecting the hull.

We claim: 
     
       1. A sailing vessel comprising: a hull,   a mast upstanding from said hull and connected thereto to be free to tilt on said hull about an axis arranged longitudinally of said hull,   a keel depending from said hull and connected thereto to be free to tilt on said hull about an axis also arranged longitudinally on said hull, and   means interconnecting said mast and said keel to cause rotation about said axes in the same sense,   said interconnecting means being hydraulic and comprising a pair of oppositely acting actuators connected to said mast to displace hydraulic fluid in proportion to mast movement about said hull, lines from said actuators to a further hydraulic actuator which is connected to said keel, said further actuator receiving displaced fluid from said oppositely acting actuators to transmit mast movement to said keel about said hull, and means to by-pass fluid from one side to the other side of said further actuator to vary the relative angle of said keel to said mast,   said keel having sufficient weight to hold said mast upright but allowing it to deflect leeward about said hull under wind pressure, said keel balancing said leeward deflection by tilt to windward, whereby the tilt of the mast is balanced by said keel and said hull does not necessarily deflect.   
     
     
       2. A sailing vessel according to claim 1 wherein the said second hydraulic motor is connected to said keel by a link which is variable in effective length to vary the angular relationship of keel to mast. 
     
     
       3. A sailing vessel according to claim 1 wherein the said second hydraulic motor is connected to said keel by a link which is variable in distance from the axis of the said keel whereby to vary the extent of movement of the said keel to the said mast.